L

Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 11 February 2025

Debate

Post Office Horizon Scandal: Compensation Payments

Contribution

My Lords, the Minister has declared my interest as a member of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board. Attention has rightly focused on the contribution to be made by Fujitsu to the compensation payable, and I hope it is very substantial, but the auditors of the Post Office, Ernst & Young, should also bear their share of the blame. I asked the chair of the inquiry to include in his inquiry what the auditors knew and did not know, and he decided that that would lengthen the inquiry disproportionately. That means that the auditors who certified that the Post Office accounts presented a true and fair view of the Post Office finances, and yet somehow missed a liability of £1.87 billion, will not be held to account. What can we do about that?

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